The first game of these quarter-finals was truly vibrant. The game was evenly matched right until the end, and the fans in the Barça stadium witnessed an authentic basketball spectacle, in which Panathinaikos almost had Xavi Pascual’s team on the ropes at the start of the fourth quarter. At that moment, seven minutes from time, the Regal Barça comeback got underway, and thanks to a brilliant collective performance they turned the game around and survived a final scare which almost gave the Greek side the win they were looking for. 1-0 up in the series, Thursday’s game in the Palau could almost see Barça through to the Final Four, to be played in the Palau Sant Jordi.

Attacks contained

The first quarter of the game began with both defenses in control. Containing Navarro in attack (2 points in 10 minutes), Panathinaikos resisted the home teams flying start, capturing several offensive rebounds, really important for the Greek side, who continually attacked the Barça basket without a lot of success. Pascual’s team attacked vigorously, combining their inside and outside game, but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard. After the first period, the score was tied at 14-14 with both teams attacks effectively contained.

Maximum equality

There were very few concessions from the three-point line in the first quarter (just one triple from Anderson) and nothing changed as the match progressed, with small partial scoring streaks (0-8 and 9-1) keeping the scores very even. No quarter was given and only Anderson and Lakovic had decent scoring runs in the second quarter, with Ndong and Tsartsaris already on three fouls each. Good defending by Panathinaikos on Navarro prevented him making an impact in the first half. However, the Regal Barça team responded well and went into the break 37-35 up.

Diamantidis, centre of attention

An interchange of triples between Anderson and Diamantidis got the second half underway. Diamantidis, in fact, was a constant headache for Regal Barça. He did it all for Panathinaikos. His penetration was good, and his scoring (10 points in 6 minutes), and he drew lots of fouls from the home side, who lost Vázquez, for four fouls, with lots of time remaining. The dynamic had changed and now it was Panathinaikos who were ahead in the game. Although only by a few points it was an important psychological factor at this stage of the match, where stoppages and fouls -some heavily criticized by the fans-were the dominant note. Tension was running high going into the final period (57-60).

Match decided on a scoring streak of 11-0

At the beginning of the last quarter the match reached a critical point where Panathinaikos had their maximum advantage (59-64). The equality between the two teams meant that this small difference in the scores was almost definitive. It was then when Barça began their comeback. Panathinaikos were stuck on 64 points and two triples by Morris and Lakovic, and a foul by Fotsis on Navarro, changed the course of game. The partial scoring hurt the Greek side: 11-0. A really tight finale was inevitable.

Close to the end, the success of Vazquez (4 from 4) and Morris (2 from 2) from the free-throw line, was decisive in breaking down a Panathinaikos team that battled until the last second in the Palau. A foul by Sada brought the Greek side to within one point with only 1.7 seconds on the clock. A triple at the death didn’t go in and the fans exploded with joy. Barça were 1-0 up in the series.